Electric therapeutic device



July 7, 1925.

1,544,848 0. MELBY ELECTRI C THERAPEUTI C DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1922 Patented July 7, 1925. i

UNITED STATES. PATENTOFFICE.

OLAF MELBY, OF EUGENE, OREGON. v

ELECTRIC THERAPEUTIC DEVICE.

Application filed December 19, 1922. ,Se'rialilTc. 637,894.

application or by means of violet rays pro-' duced in a glass vacuum chamber, is well known. In previous methods of using the electric current, it has either been transmitted through glass, as in the use of the violet rays, or by direct contact of the portion of.

the body to be treated with the electric conductor. In the latter method, only currents of low voltage can ordinarily be used.

An object of my invention is to provide means for the application of electricity to the desired portion of the body, by which the current passes through a partial vacuum directly into contact with the body. Moreover, this invention provides a method of application in which currents of high voltage can be employed.

Germs or diseased tissues can thus receive more direct and powerful application of the electric current with manifest increase in the beneficial results.

I also provide means whereby the partial vacuum is produced by the device itself under control of the operator, and the size of the vacuum chamber can be varied as desired. The production of a vacuum in this manner produces a certain massage or suction effect upon the body tissues which is in itself of value and cooperates with the electric treatment in the production of highly beneficial results.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device.

Figure 2 is a sectional view.

Figure 8 is a plan view, showing parts in a different position from the other figures.

My device consists of a cylindrical member 1 having a cap 2 screwed on one end, and a nozzle 3 screwed into the other end, a

packing 4 being placed between the shoulder passageway 5 and the outer end is cupped as shown at 6. A piston rod 7 slides loosely through an opening in the cap 2 and at its inner end is screwed into two members 8 and 9 which with interposed packings 10 and 11 form a piston which fits tightly in the cylinder 1. As shown the packings 10 and 11 fit between and around the edges of the members 8 and 9 which are made smaller than the bore of the cylinder 1. These are made of any suitable material so as to provide a substantially air tight engagement with the I bore of the cylinder.

The body of the cylinder, the cap, nozzle, and member 8 are made of hard rubber or s01 re-other non-conducting material, while the piston rod 7 and member 9 are of metal or other good conducting material. A handle 12 is provided for operating the piston, and this handle should also be made of some suitable non-conductor.

The exact character of the handle is to a great extent immaterial as regards my invention, but I have illustrated a form in which one side is provided with a slot 13 extending substantially to the center thereof, into which slot a passage ld opens at right angles. A conducting cord15 of any desired length is provided with plug members 16 and 17 at each end. One of these plugs is adapted to be inserted through the passage 1% and through an eye in the end of the piston rod 7, while the other plug is connected to either pole of an induction coil or other source of electricity from which a high voltage current can be obtained.

In the use of the device, the member 1 is held so that the cup shaped portion of the nozzle is held against the part of the body which it is desired to treat, by means of the handle the piston is moved outwardly producing a partial vacuum in the cylinder and causing suction upon the body. Then the plug 17 is connected to the source of electricity and the current passes directly through the vacuum into the body. The handle may be turned to the position shown in Figure 3 where it will prevent the piston from returning to original position. The body tissues are stimulated by the suction and the high voltage current passing directly through the vacuum into this same portion of the body, produces a highly beneficial result.

Many changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention,

since the form and details can be Widely varied without changing the underlying idea. In general it is to be understood that the invention is limited only by the scope of the appended claim. 7

I claim:

A therapeutic device comprising a cylindrical chamber having non-conducting Walls, a nozzle fitting in one end thereof and having a passageway, said .nozzle having an outer cup-shaped opening adapted to be held against the part to be treated, a piston slidably mounted in said chamber and movable to form a partial vacuum when the nozzle is pressed against the part to be treated, a pis ton rod of conducting material, a handle therefor having a slotto receive the outer end of the piston rod, and a conductor passing into said handle and having a terminal engaging said rod to retain it in engagement with the handle and to make electrical connection with the rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

OLAF MELBY. 

